Louis Hardin, Moondog

Louis Thomas Hardin was born in Kansas in 1916, the son of missionaries. Raised in Indian country in Wyoming, he was influenced by Amerindian, Eastern, and Western music. His knowledge of classical, jazz, and ethnic idioms was impressive. He called his own music "snake time," a mixture of classical and neo-primitive percussion. In 1943 he came to New York City to launch a career as composer, and in that effort he achieved some success, particularly critical and among his peers. Even Charlie Parker was known to approach Moondog in his midtown haunts for advice and inspiration.

To most New Yorkers, the blind street musician was known as the "Viking of Sixth Avenue." Indeed, the rather Norse-looking headress is immortalized on the jackets of his two most common records. But Moondog's self-invention was not limited to costume, habitat, or lifestyle. Like Harry Partch, he invented various instruments, such the Oo, Utsu, and Uni. And he had a wife, Suzuko, who played, sang, and recorded with him as well as transcribed much of his music.

Buying: All except the Columbia LPs are very rare & highly desired.